Wherever you are, you're in TICA's world!

Category Archives: Uncategorized

Post navigation

26
Oct

Are all white cats deaf?

Hereditary deafness is a major concern in white cats, and even more so if one or both irises are blue in color.

Researchers found that only 17 to 22 percent of white cats with non-blue eyes are born deaf. The percentage rises to 40 percent if the cat has one blue eye, while upwards of 65 to 85 percent of all-white cats with both eyes blue are deaf.

Some of these cats are deaf in only one ear. Interestingly, if a white cat with one blue eye is deaf in only one ear, that ear will invariably be on the same side of the head as the blue eye.

26
Oct

Can you have a career working with cats? How do you know if your kitten is a male or a female?

What famous author had polydactyl cats? Want to bake homemade treats?

So how do you get answers to these questions? Go to TICA University … otherwise known as TICAU, the place to find everything about cats.

It’s the first-of-its-kind online university that is free to cat lovers and anyone else around the world. When you visit its “campus” you’ll find several different schools that you can find information about cats. Take a tour of the campus and visit each of these schools and just a few of the types of information you can learn:

Gym — exercises, how to keep your cat in tip-top shape, and more!

Cafe – bake your own treats, find restaurants to go to that love cats, what’s a good nutrition?

Nursing – what’s needed in an emergency kit? if my cat is stung, what should I do?

Science – are cats left pawed? can they see in color?

Admissions – register with TICAU and even test your knowledge about cats

History – from ancient history to modern day, cats have influenced many things….and were the focus of many myths!

Library – cats were a “muse” for what authors? what famous author loved cats so much he left his home to them in his will?

Art – tour the gallery and see famous artwork and learn about cats in the theatre and more

Business – is there really feline vets? how do I get to judge cats?

Psychology – what makes cats “tick”? can you train a cat to use the toilet?

26
Oct

At TICA’s Annual Cat Show in Santa Clara, California in September, cats were invited to be measured by the Guinness Book of World Records for the title of “longest cat”. Cats of all sizes and colors showed up, bu tonly one could capture the title.

Just last week Stewie — aka Mymains Stewart Giligan — a 5-year-old Maine Coon measured in at a whopping 48.5 inches from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail when stretched out.

Stewie, a TICA-registered Maine Coon is owned by Robin Henrickson of Reno, Nevada.

The previous record holder also was a Maine Coon—Verisimo Leonetti Reserve Red (aka Leo) who captured the title in 2008 when he measured an exact 47 inches. Congrats Stewie and Robin!

26
Aug

Cat litter comes in a variety of styles. From clumping to flushable and clay-based or corn-based there is a feline litter that suits the preferences of any cat or kitten and of course, you, as its owner. But choosing the best cat litter for your cat and household can be confusing.

What’s the best way to choose the right litter for your cat(s)? Here’s and easy way to select which one you think would be used by your cats, and suitable for your household (see chart above).

18
Aug

Cats are not color blind!

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles not only did some research on this question, but actually demonstrated through images how cats see the world around them. Per their “results” they have determined that “Cats are not color blind – they have the ability to distinguish between blues and greens, but lack the ability to pick out shades of red.”

Cats, like humans, have two primary structures in the retina of the eye for perceiving light: rods which help us see light and dark areas, and cones which have pigments to detect particular wavelengths of light. At low light intensities, rods function to distinguish light from dark. You may notice that you see little color in dim light. At high intensities of light the rods do not function, however, the cones do. Humans have three kinds of cone pigments, ones that can detect red, green and blue light. It’s no coincidence that we find these same colors in the screen of an average color-TV set. The ability of an organism to see in “color” thus depends upon the color receptors present in the retina. People (or animals) lacking a specific color receptor are unable to “see” that color. Most often, it appears greyish, or as one of the other colors that can be detected (i.e. purples appearing greyish-blue). Green color-blindness is the most common genetic form of color-blindness in humans, followed by red, then blue.”

16
Jul

It’s never easy to lose a beloved feline that brought joy into your life, but you can honor and memorialize your cat with a custom made carved wood and marble pet urn. Created by The International Cat Association and Heavenly Designs, the one-of-a-kind urn pays homage to your cat.

The elegant TICA pet urn is handmade from solid wood with carved wood adornments and the licensed TICA logo. You can personalize the urn with our cat’s name, photograph and other information (nick name, title and/or awards and lifespan dates), Your cat’s favorite photograph will adorn the top of the urn made of solid, black granite. The urns — measuring 4 1/2″ tall x 7 1/2″ wide x 6″ deep – are constructed from American Red Oak, and are available in three stains – light, medium and dark.

TICA not only love cats, but dogs too so Heavenly Urns has also partnered with TICA to offer custom memorial urns for your beloved canines. Order your custom urn today and memorialize your beloved feline!

14
Jul

If your cat is female, most likely she’ll be left pawed. And your boy…well, he’ll be a rightie. Yes, that’s been proven after Deborah Wells, a senior lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast School of Psychology, and co-author Sarah Millsopp examined the paw use of 42 domestic cats last year. Each cat repeatedly completed three play-like tasks while at home with their owners.

Per the report the first a bit of tuna was placed at the bottom of an empty, narrow-mouthed jar., and the cats were observed how they attempted to extract the food treat.

The second task watched which paw the cat used to reach for a toy mouse suspended above the cat’s head on a string.

For the last task the same toy was slowly dragged on the ground in front of the cats. The first paw used by the cats to try to grab the toy was recorded.

Each feline had 100 paw responses recorded for the study.

What was the overall result? The cats didn’t favor a certain paw to play or reach for the toy mouse. However, the preferred paw to reach for the tuna in the narrow-mouthed jar definately was observed for all cats. The study findings were later published in the scientific journal Animal Behavior.

Preparation & Cooking
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Shape into balls of desired size or simply spoon into cat’s dish and serve. These treats may be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days, and may also be frozen.
Cat Cookies

14
Jul

Man first became aware of the cat for its hunting talent. Originally serving the utilitarian role of ridding rats, the cat charmed its way into domestication. Historians believe cats began living side-by-side with humans as early as 4000 B.C. Since then, feline nutrition has come a long way. From mice to brown rice, nutrition has evolved from life-sustaining to life-enhancing. And Royal Canin has been at the forefront every step of the way.

The four objectives of proper nutrition., and the right diet should do more than provide calories for your cat. It should work synergistically with your cat’s digestive, metabolic and immune systems to maximize her health and longevity.

Objective 1: Food as body development and maintenance.This is what proteins, minerals, trace elements, vitamins and some lipids do.

Objective 2: Food as energy.
This is done by lipids and carbohydrates.

Objective 3: Food as prevention.
This is achieved with specific nutrients incorporated into food rations such as antioxidants and nutraceuticals. Nutrients can contribute to the prevention of renal infections or digestive disorders, for example, and have an anti-aging effect.

Objective 4: Food as medicine.Certain nutrients added to food support the therapeutic or convalescence process, helping pets recover from a number of ailments.

14
Jul

When you hear a cat lover talk about “the Brit” you see in your mind’s eye a plush-coated, shorthair cat in a wide variety of colors. Okay, guess what? There’s also a LONGHAIR Brit!The British Longhair has the same characteristics of the British Shorthair but its dense coat stands out from the body emphasizing the cat’s imposing lines. In most colors, large, round eyes ranging from deep gold through copper are set into the smiling face. In pointed cats the eyes are blue while deep green eyes shine in the silvers. The classic Blue remains the most popular color however the breed comes in a rainbow of colors. Their round heads have short noses, chubby cheeks and prominent, rounded whisker pads creating an enigmatic smiling look to the face. The British Longhair’s round eyes are wide open and, combined with the smile, give the cat an amused air.
“British Longhairs are friendly and affectionate, making loyal and devoted companions,” said Vickie Fisher, President of TICA. “If you’re on the sofa, they’ll be snuggled up beside you. But don’t’ think they’re just lap cats! They have a little bit of the clown in them too, playing with toys when they feel like it.”
The British Longhair’s wonderful disposition makes them great family pets. One of the oldest breeds of English cats, the British Longhair was once a hunter and protector of the barns. Today it embraces family life, preferring to snooze in comfort by the fire and to exchange hunting for playing with toy mice. It is a dignified, affectionate cat, sometimes referred to as the Winston Churchill of the cat world, roaming its household dominion with all four feet on the floor.
TICA recognized the British Longhair earlier this year as an approved breed that can compete for championship titles.